Letter: Citizens United unleashed corporations, interest groups

Money has invaded our politics

EDITOR: As Election Day nears, I am realizing the impact of a terrible decision by the Supreme Court: Citizens United, the recent ruling that there is no difference between money and free speech.

Super PACs, corporations, wealthy individuals or other special interest groups can now contribute unlimited money to candidates. This has opened the door to political bribery and corruption in elections. Lobbyists have a new weapon. A lobbyist can now tell any elected official: If you vote wrong, me, my company or interest group will spend unlimited money advertising against your re-election.

In its 5-to-4 partisan decision, the Court declared, as the Christian Science Monitor wrote, that "corporate expenditures cannot corrupt elected officials, influence over lawmakers is not corruption, and the appearance of influence will not undermine public faith in our democracy."

Consider the rise of Super PACs, dark money groups, the increase in negative attack ads and the emergence of political oligarchs like Sheldon Adelson, Foster Friesse, and the Koch brothers. In this county five Walton family members have the same wealth as the bottom 41 percent of Americans. This is where the money that gets our candidates elected is coming from. It's sad, but money wins elections, plain and simple. You don't have to tell the truth, all you have to do is lie repeatedly, and spreading that takes money.

The Citizens United decision and the finding that corporations are people was the one-two punch that will make America a very different place, very soon.

Rick Eyre,

Wausau

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Letter: Citizens United unleashed corporations, interest groups

EDITOR: As Election Day nears, I am realizing the impact of a terrible decision by the Supreme Court: Citizens United, the recent ruling that there is no difference between money and free speech.

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